Police Kill Notorious Kidnapper In Rivers …We’re Fully Prepared To Tackle Insecurity, Wike Assures …Donates 40 Patrol Vans To Security Agencies …Pledges N30m Bounty On Killers Of RSG Director

Officers of the Rivers State Police Command have killed a notorious kidnapper, popularly known as ‘Abacha’ in Rivers State.
Abacha was said to have been terrorising residents and motorists in Emohua Local Government Area axis of the East-West road, Rivers State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Rivers State Police Command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, while parading the dead suspect identified the deceased as “Abacha”, with items allegedly recovered from the camps in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
He said the feat was achieved by the combined effort of the local vigilante operating within that community.
Omoni also revealed that other members of the gang who had been on police’s wanted list escaped with gunshots injuries.
He said with the new onslaught against criminals in the area, East-West Road would be safe again and urged members of the public to avail the police of useful information.
“Operatives of the Operation Sting in the early hours of today (yesterday) in a combined operation with the anti-robbery Team of Rumuji police station, working with a local vigilante stormed the kidnappers’ camp at Rumuakunde in Emohua Local Government Area of the state where a gang of kidnappers led by one, Ekwueme Brown, who is alleged to be the leader of the criminal gang terrorising the East-West road were hibernating.
“The hoodlums, on sighting the police, engaged them in a serious gun duel leading to the death of one of them later identified as “Abacha”, the leader, Ekwueme Brown, and others escaped with gunshot wounds.
“Their camp was dismantled; the following exhibits were recovered: Two AK-47 riffles, three pump action gun; one locally made single barrel gun; 23 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, large quantities of police and army uniforms.”
He said the operatives were still combing the bushes with a view to arresting other members of the gang that fled with gunshot wounds.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has declared that the state government was fully prepared to tackle insecurity and will do everything required to protect lives and property.
Wike also declared that the state government has proscribed all youth groups operating in the state because they have been hijacked by cultists.
He spoke, yesterday, when he handed over 40 patrol vans fitted with communication gadgets to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), See4Eye, Police Anti-Kidnapping, Police Anti-Cultism, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Eagle Crime at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
“Rivers State Government is fully prepared and will do everything required to protect lives and property. Without the protection of lives and property, there will be no governance and development.
“We are one state that has suffered neglect from the Federal Government in terms of support to fight insecurity. They have refused to pay back funds that we used in constructing federal projects. But that will not stop us from intervening when the need arises”, he said.
The governor said that he resolved to increase the support to the security agencies because of the successes recorded by “Operation Sting”.
The governor placed a N30million bounty on anyone who gives useful information that will lead to the arrest of those who killed a director with the Rivers State Government during the Choba crisis and a notorious criminal called ‘Bobrisky’ in Gokana Local Government Area.
He regretted that cultists have taken over youth groups across the state, necessitating the state government to proscribe all youth groups.
“Anybody operating under a youth body henceforth will be arrested by security agencies. Before you contest for any youth body’s leadership, you must send the names to the DSS and police for screening. If they are cultists, we will not allow them to operate”, he said.
Wike said that the vehicles and gunboats donated to the security agencies must be deployed to secure Rivers State.
He announced that the Rivers State Government will establish a trust fund to cater for the families of policemen who lose their lives while fighting crime.
In his remarks, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mustapha Dandaura, said the security agencies will use the new security vans to tackle criminals across the state.
He said that since the inauguration of “Operation Sting”, there has been improvement in the security of lives and property in the state.
He said that security agencies will continue to dislodge criminals in all parts of the state.
Two weeks ago, the governor had donated 76 security vans, gunboats and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to security forces when he launched the “Operation Sting”.